Gas condensate reservoirs contain an appreciable amount of gas and liquid condensate reserves that are vital for the increasing global demand for energy resources. In gas condensate reservoirs, the initial reservoir pressure is usually greater than the dew point pressure where there is only one phase in the reservoir, namely a gas phase. During production, the bottom-hole pressure in the production well eventually falls to a value that is less than the dew point. As a result, heavy hydrocarbons (for example, heavy hydrocarbons have the molecular weight of greater than 30 g/mol) are condensed to a liquid phase. This liquid phase commonly accumulates in pore spaces in the area close to the wellbore, resulting in what is commonly known as “condensate banking”. The condensate is trapped by capillary forces or is retained in the rock as a result of poor liquid mobility. This condensate blockage around the well bore can cause a reduction in the productivity of the well by a factor of two or more.
Several techniques have been developed in an attempt to alleviate condensate banking. One technique involves keeping the reservoir pressure greater than the dew point pressure by a recycling gas. However, recyclable gas volume is limited and this method cannot always keep the reservoir pressure high enough. Other approaches include drilling horizontal wells and hydraulic fracturing. These temporary solutions are costly as they require drilling rigs. There is, therefore, a need for improved methods and systems for mitigating condensate banking.